Asset Tracking With Satellite

Think of this. You’re a logistics manager for a large trucking company and you realize one of your shipments has gone missing. Not only that, but you can’t get in touch with the driver or the supervisor because they both are out of cell phone range and apparently not in the truck. What do you do?

Organizations that operate fleets face several challenges when it comes to tracking their assets. Due to the mobile nature of fleets, it’s imperative to have connectivity wherever they may travel in order to track assets consistently. Organizations need to understand the exact location of their assets at all times, regardless of the location or environment so they can assess asset availability. They need to understand the status and security of all assets at all times. They also need to control assets to react to changing conditions.

Traditional terrestrial cellular communication has large dead zones where there is no connectivity. In remote locations, asset control is greatly reduced due to these dead zones. Having the GPS location of an asset doesn’t mean the driver has access to in-cab messaging and vehicle control, which helps maintain the driver’s awareness and the asset’s security.  

So what is an organization to do when they have a fleet of vehicles they need to track? The answer is satellite. Satellite technology hurdles the challenges of asset tracking due to its reliability, ease of use and consistent service even in the most remote areas. Satellite technology can easily be installed and maintained to help an organization manage its assets. 

What can satellite do to track assets?

Satellite technology provides great asset tracking performance. There are a variety of hardware units that work with asset management software so companies can chose the one that suits their budget and their business needs. Some software can track up to 40,000 live positions to make asset tracking a breeze, even for very large organizations. Satellite tracking software can be installed on many kinds of hardware, making it a very versatile option. 

Tracking assets via satellite technology is simple and can often be updated over the air so you don’t have any downtime when it’s time to update firmware. There are very safe options out there that give you voice and data access secure networks. The solutions are highly customizable so there is one to suit every organization’s needs. 

Options

Features available through asset tracking software vary by manufacturer, but could include some helpful options. Live tracking options are out there, which allow updates on assets’ locations every 15 minutes. Geo-fences are another option available. You can set up a geo-fence and know when an asset has entered or exited the perimeter you set up. You can also improve safety and security by establishing exceptions and receiving alerts that signal suspicious behavior.

Those in the trucking industry need to monitor their trailers even when they are unhooked to assure asset safety and security at all times. For those in this business, there are solutions available to monitor unhooked trailers. The hardware for these solutions runs on an internal battery with a long battery life, so unhooked trailers are monitored even when there is no power source for the tracking devices. These solutions can provide daily GPS information that is reported every 24 hours, or every 15 minutes if the asset is moved while the trailer is unhooked. Activity outside normal operating hours and locations can be tracked by email and SMS alerts. 

If you are looking for state of the art asset tracking technology, look no further than New York Mobile Satellite. We’ve got the solutions that will keep your assets safe. That translates to less loss and higher revenue for your organization. Contact us today.

Headquartered in New York City, New York Mobile Satellite provides B2B wireless and satellite based telecommunication services, both mobile and fixed, to commercial enterprises around the globe, including banking, financial services, oil and gas, first responders, law enforcement, electric and water utilities, construction, sea ports, leisure boating, mining, cruise lines, media, shipping and container vessels, transportation, camping and hiking groups, rescue organizations, maritime communications, public safety markets and government sector, as well as for disaster recovery and humanitarian agencies. The Management Team has over 75 years of satellite and telecommunication experience. The company’s flexibility to custom design solutions and integrate various satellite communications technologies for customer and industry specific needs sets us apart from the competition. New York Mobile Satellite LLC is certified as a Veteran Owned business by the Veterans Administration.

Logistics: Satellite Communications on the Move

With the mobile nature of logistics, or commercially transporting goods to customers, it only makes sense that satellite technology could improve the process. Satellite technology works in the most remote locations, allows for real-time communication with remote workers, allows for the transfer of large amounts of data and even allows workers to set up remote offices with full communications capabilities on the go.

There are many technologies that improve the safety of logistics workers, enable remote fleet management and improve the tracking of assets and freight, saving companies money. But logistics operations need to track more information than ever before. They may be tracking hundreds of tractors, routes and fleets and may need to communicate with vehicles about arrivals and departures, load assignments, load scale, type of load, fueling and other important information. Satellite technology allows this communication to take place in real-time.

Satellite GPS Tracking Improves Logistics

Satellite GPS tracking can improve safety and security, optimize fleet operations and reduce risk with real-time tracking and monitoring. This GPS tracking system will work even in the most rugged and remote locations because it does not rely on terrestrial cell towers and operates on the Iridium satellite network and Inmarsat network.

Asset Management

The fleet management system integrates asset management software with satellite communications to give you reliable fleet management, monitoring and tracking. You can receive continuous GSP location, speed and direction information, as well as vehicle information like engine activity, idle and stop data.

Messaging

There are also messaging capabilities that will improve operations, such as text messaging, email and pre-defined messages that can be displayed on an optional in-cab terminal. All messages are geotagged for location tracking and safety.

Safety

Better tracking and communication mean better safety for your operators in the field. You can know if your driver is driving without a seatbelt, if a trailer has become disconnected or if there’s an engine problem, all from a central office. You can communicate with your driver to let them know there’s an issue, even if they’re off the terrestrial cell grid. You will have real-time GPS data to know where drivers are at all times. For shipping by rail, you can control rail cargo and temperature sensors and receive notification of excessive impacts from over-speed coupling. This ensures your cargo is going to get to its final destination undamaged.

Telephone, Push-to-Talk and Internet Capabilities Improve Communication

Logistics both on land and at sea will benefit from improved communications, as sometimes the business takes workers outside of the 2-way radio network and away from terrestrial cell networks. For these times, satellite telephone systems – portable handhelds, fixed docking kits, maritime phones or in-vehicle fixed phones – will come in handy for communication.

If you require push-to-talk for your daily operations, you can extend your 2-way radio network across the globe with SATRAD Matrix products. These products will integrate satellite push-to-talk with your existing UHF/VHF radios, repeaters and dispatch console systems. Satellite communications technology can also give your fleet access to broadband Internet or low-speed data systems while they’re on the move.

Get your fleets moving in the right direction and keep them moving. Contact New York Mobile Satellite for more information on usage and a product line that fits your particular needs and budget.

New York Mobile Satellite LLC, veteran-owned, headquartered in New York City, provides B2B wireless and satellite based telecommunication services, both mobile and fixed, to commercial enterprises around the globe, including banking, financial services, oil and gas, first responders, law enforcement, electric and water utilities, construction, sea ports, leisure boating, mining, cruise lines, media, shipping and container vessels, transportation, camping and hiking groups, rescue organizations, maritime communications, public safety markets and government sector, as well as for disaster recovery and humanitarian agencies. The Management Team has over 75 years of satellite and telecommunication experience. The company’s flexibility to custom design solutions and integrate various satellite communications technologies for customer, and industry specific needs, sets us apart from the competition.